Our View: RFD better Illinois asset than Peotone

In the final hours of the legislative session last week, the Illinois General Assembly passed a surprise “Christmas Tree Bill” that had everything in it but the kitchen sink. And in this case, the kitchen sink is Rockford.

Journal Standard

Writer

Posted Jun. 5, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 5, 2013 at 4:00 AM

Posted Jun. 5, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 5, 2013 at 4:00 AM

In the final hours of the legislative session last week, the Illinois General Assembly passed a surprise “Christmas Tree Bill” that had everything in it but the kitchen sink.

And in this case, the kitchen sink is Rockford. There were no ornaments on the tree for us. But among the cornucopia of goodies were OK’s for McCormick Place expansion, a fertilizer factory in Tuscola, a recalculation of farmland assessments, and the big one:

Lawmakers OK’d construction of the south suburban airport near Peotone in Will County. Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign the bill. He says it will create 14,000 permanent jobs and 11,000 construction jobs.

“It was an absolute albatross thrown at us at the last minute, and we had no clue,” said the always colorful Sacia. “They’re trying to shove this down our throats.”

Syverson explained that the construction approval has no money attached.

“It’s basically enabling legislation to let the airport go forward. They’ve been purchasing land. This allows local people to start moving forward, developing public/private partnerships, working with vendors and airlines to get commitments to use the proposed airport,” Syverson said.

This Editorial Board has long been opposed to a new airport in the far south suburbs, believing it to be a potential boondoggle. Our position is that Chicago Rockford International Airport already is the third Chicagoland airport, with huge growth potential and support from of the Federal Aviation Administration, our U.S. senators and congressmen.

We’ll concede that powerful politicians in both parties have wanted to build a south suburban airport for decades. While we’re still skeptical such an airport will ever actually exist, we’ll agree to stop crusading against it.

And in the great tradition of Illinois politics, we want something in return.

We note that Gov. Quinn has been exceptionally supportive of this region. He’s helped greatly to bring about the Nippon Sharyo railcar factory in Rochelle, the Fiat Chrysler expansion in Belvidere, the Woodward, Inc., expansion in Loves Park, the Morgan Street Bridge project and other infrastructure projects in Rockford, and the coming restoration of Amtrak rail service to northwest Illinois.

Quinn has also been of great help to Rockford’s airport. His transportation department has named it 2013 Airport of the Year.

We ask only that he continue to help RFD because of its enormous job-growth potential in this part of the state. The governor has pledged support for RFD’s maintenance and repair operation (MRO) project to build a hangar large enough to repair the biggest jet airplanes flying. The goal is to locate an international cargo airline in Rockford, as well as have an educational institution to train large numbers of mechanics and other aviation workers.

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Airport Director Mike Dunn says the MRO will create 350 well-paying jobs on the day it opens and 500 after one year. The potential after that is unlimited.

“We have the support of the northern Illinois county board chairmen as well as the majority of the mayors from this region. It will not be a local project but a regional project — like Peotone,” says Dunn, who is neutral on Peotone expansion.

State help in the area of $20 million may be needed to get the MRO project built. So, we’ll bury the anti-Peotone hatchet. Build it if you must, gov’nor.